Calgary park transformed into inclusive area for blind and visually impaired skateboarders

Neon tape, textured pathways and audio signals all made it possible for blind and visually impaired skateboarder to ride at Calgary's Shaw Millennium Park on Saturday.

CALGARY — The skatepark at southwest Calgary's Shaw Millennium Park is looking a bit different on Saturday, but it's all to offer a unique opportunity for disabled residents.

Through the work of Alt Route Projects, a group of blind and visually impaired skateboarders, the area has been modified with neon-coloured tape, tactile pathways and audio beacons.

All of the equipment was installed to make the area more inclusive for riders who like to enjoy a "sesh" of shredding and grinding but couldn't on a normal course because of their disabilities.

"Skateboarding is such a fun way of getting outside and making friends," said Curtis Ruttle, the founder of Alt Route and a Grade 11 student at Bishop Carroll High School.

"Blind and visually impaired people can get in on the fun, but they need some changes in skatepark design to make skateboarding safer and more enjoyable."

Over the past two years, Ruttle has been working with Matt Janz, the founder of another group for visually impaired skateboarders called Skate Bats.

The pair hopes that with skateboarding added to the Olympics, the event will soon become available to Paralympians as well.

"We are hoping to lay down the base work for an adaptive skateboard team here in Canada," Janz said in a statement. "We're hoping to empower any blind or low-vision kids in Calgary to seek an exciting and inspiring career on a skateboard at the Paralympic level."

The additions to the skatepark were fully funded by the Calgary Parking Authority's sponsorship program.